Energy absorbing steering column assembly

Claim 2

An energy absorber comprising a pair of telescopically related tubular members movable relative to each other upon the application of force thereto and a plurality of rolling bodies adapted for engagement between said members with a predetermined interference fit and having a hardness sufficiently higher than said members as to be operative to roll during inward telescoping movement therebetween to cause predetermined plastic deformation therein to absorb the energy of such movement, means defining rolling body pockets in the wall of one of said members receiving said rolling bodies out of said predetermined interference fit whereby movement of said members in a direction opposite said inward movement may proceed substantially freely of any resistance from said rolling bodies, and means responsive to movement of said members in said inward direction for moving said rolling bodies out of said pockets and into said predetermined intereference fit engagement between said members to absorb the energy of such movement in said inward direction.

Claim 3

An energy absorber recited in claim 1 wherein the last mentioned means comprises ramp surfaces formed in the wall of said one member merging with said pockets therein.

Claim 4

An energy absorber as recited in claim 1 further including spring means situated in said pockets in engagement with said rolling bodies and operative to urge the latter to travel into said interference fit engagement between said members on movement thereof in said inward direction.

Claim 5

An energy absorber comprising, a pair of telescopically related tubular members movable relative to each other upon the application of force thereto and a plurality of rolling bodies adapted for engagement between juxtaposed surfaces of said members with a predetermined interference fit and having a hardness sufficiently higher than said members as to be operative to roll during inward telescoping movement therebetween to cause predetermined plastic deformation therein to absorb the energy of such movement, means defining rolling body pockets in the wall of one of said members receiving said rolling bodies out of said predetermined interference fit whereby movement of said members in a direction opposite said inward movement may proceed substantially freely of any resistance from said rolling bodies, a plurality of ramp surfaces in said one member each respective to a said pocket and extending therefrom to the said engagement surface of such member for enabling movement of said rolling bodies out of said pockets and into said predetermined interference fit engagement between said members, and spring means in said pockets resiliently yieldable to provide accommodation of said rolling bodies in said pockets and biasing said rolling bodies out of the latter to roll over said ramp surfaces and into said interference fit engagement upon relative movement between said members in said inward direction.

Claim 6

An energy absorber comprising, a pair of telescopically related tubular members movable relative to each other upon the application of force thereto and a plurality of rolling bodies adapted for engagement between juxtaposed surfaces of said members with a predetermined interference fit and having a hardness sufficiently higher than said members as to be operative to roll during inward telescoping movement therebetween to cause predetermined plastic deformation therein to absorb the energy of such movement, means defining rolling body pockets in the wall of one of said members receiving said rolling bodies out of said predetermined interference fit whereby movement of said members in a direction opposite said inward movement may proceed substantially freely of any resistance from said rolling bodies, a plurality of ramp surfaces in said one member each respective to a said pocket and extending therefrom to the said engagement surface of such member for enabling movement of said rolling bodies out of said pockets and into said predetermined interference fit engagement between said members, and spring means in said pockets resiliently yieldable to provide accommodation of said rolling bodies in said pockets and biasing said rolling bodies out of the latter to roll over said ramp surfaces and into said interference fit engagement upon relative movement between said members in said inward direction.

Claim 7

In an automotive vehicle including a forward portion thereof subject to impacts and a passenger compartment having therewith an operator''s seat and a manual steering instrumentality adapted for mounting adjacent said seat, an energy absorbing steering support system comprising a support structure in said passenger compartment portion, a pair of relatively movable support members mounted on said support structure anD in turn supporting said steering instrumentality in a normal operating position with respect to the operator''s seat and for movement both forwardly from said normal position and rearwardly a predeterminedly limited distance from said normal position, whereby said instrumentality and one of said support members are capable of being relocated relative to the other support member rearwardly from said normal position closer to said seat in the event of impacts on said forward vehicle portion and where forward thrust of the operator''s torso into engagement with said instrumentality is accommodated by forward movement of the latter with said one support member from any such relocated position, and energy absorbing means associated with said support members and operative substantially without resistance to permit said relative movement therebetween and movement of said instrumentality rearwardly to said relocated position of the latter and operative under relative movement of said members and movement of said instrumentality forwardly of the vehicle under engagement of the operator''s torso on the steering instrumentality to provide controlled resistance to such movement and absorb the energy thereof.

Claim 8

In an automotive vehicle including a forward portion thereof subject to impacts and a passenger compartment having therewith an operator''s seat and a manual steering instrumentality adapted for mounting adjacent said seat, an energy absorbing steering support system comprising a support structure in said passenger compartment portion, a pair of relatively movable support members mounted on said support structure anD in turn supporting said steering instrumentality in a normal operating position with respect to the operator''s seat and for movement both forwardly from said normal position and rearwardly a predeterminedly limited distance from said normal position, whereby said instrumentality and one of said support members are capable of being relocated relative to the other support member rearwardly from said normal position closer to said seat in the event of impacts on said forward vehicle portion and where forward thrust of the operator''s torso into engagement with said instrumentality is accommodated by forward movement of the latter with said one support member from any such relocated position, and energy absorbing means associated with said support members and operative substantially without resistance to permit said relative movement therebetween and movement of said instrumentality rearwardly to said relocated position of the latter and operative under relative movement of said members and movement of said instrumentality forwardly of the vehicle under engagement of the operator''s torso on the steering instrumentality to provide controlled resistance to such movement and absorb the energy thereof.